54 Comments
User's avatar
Debbie's avatar

Playing catch up. Might have something to do with all the clutter and stagnant chi plus low energy and feelings of being overwhelmed I have.

Love all the advice you have to share so I’m going to start putting this into practice. Afew quick questions about the front door. Mine doesn’t have a door knocker/bell or house number or even a path for that matter lol, that leads to it but it is the door that faces the street. We always use the side door that leads into the kitchen. This doesn’t have a door knocker or bell either. Does this make a difference? I could put slabs into the grass in the front lawn to the front door to sort of make a path.

I do use the front door to walk across the side field to the mailbox or to hang washing on the line on that side, so it does get opened on a daily basis.

It has a Venetian blind inside the window which I can raise but it’s usually left down. Does this affect/slice the chi coming in? We do have tall spruce trees in the front garden blocking the view to the road. I like the privacy and the wind protection they offer but does it slow the chi?

Expand full comment
Dorena Kohrs's avatar

Hi Debbie! I think zhuzhing up the front door a bit (the one that faces the road) would feel really good.

But, we don't want any changes to feel overwhelming. So what is one thing that you can do that feels fun and not like a chore that will bring attention to this door?

Some ideas...

If you have a light outside the door, create a routine of turning it on around dusk every night and then turning it off before you go to bed.

Raise your Venetian blind each morning and then close it at the end of the day. It will instill a sense of ritual and routine to your days.

Buy a fun welcome mat that makes you smile and place it in front of the door.

After you make a few smaller changes, then you can consider creating a pathway to the door. Another idea is to hang a wind chime in one of the spruce trees in the front garden. This will attract the energy towards your front door without having to lose the beauty and protection of the trees. You could also consider hanging a sparkly feng shui crystal ball or two in the trees.

Sweep the area outside of the door.

Expand full comment
Dorena Kohrs's avatar

oops...I can't edit a comment inside a comment...but I just noticed that sweeping the area outside the door is at the bottom of the list. This idea should be included in the easy, fun things to do.

Expand full comment
Laurie Cooper's avatar

How do you determine which door is actually your front door?

Expand full comment
Dorena Kohrs's avatar

Such a good question! Your front door is the architectural front door. The door that when your home was constructed was meant to be the main door. It typically is where the house numbers are and faces the street.

Does that help? Some homes who have had renovations can be a bit trickier.

Expand full comment
Laurie Cooper's avatar

Interesting. That door doesn’t face the street but was likely the front door in 1959. I’ve renovated and out in a new door that is street facing and has great windows and is used all the time. It does not have the house numbers. Thoughts?

Expand full comment
Dorena Kohrs's avatar

This happens sometimes with a renovation. Our front door changes. The important thing is to acknowledge this door as the main door. It sounds like you've already done this with it being used all the time. If you haven't, you can also "highlight" the door by adding pops of color like pots of flower or a wreath or a welcome mat. You want it to be obvious that it's the star of the show.

A curiosity...did things in your life change since the renovation? Was there anything notable that was different?

Expand full comment
Laurie Cooper's avatar

Happier with that space. It’s more organized and I don’t mind having people come in that space now. Have also made significant job changes- retired and took a part time job for fun.

Expand full comment
Bev's avatar

Thank you for this I have a white pvc door and I can’t put a wreath on it. I have two pots either side the door with conifers but I think now it looks dull. Do you think bright pots? I will do the coins too great advice. X

Expand full comment
Bev's avatar

Thank you for this have loved seeing the comments. I have a boring white pvc door. I couldn’t put a wreath there as it would keep banging on the front door. I have two white pits either side of the door. Any ideas what I could put? Should I put coloured pots. I will definitely clean with intention when doing the glass

Expand full comment
Dorena Kohrs's avatar

Hi Bev! Yes, most definitely clean with intention. For a pop of color, you could change out the pots to something brightly colored. Or depending upon where you live and the weather, can you add colorful flowers to the pots? Another idea is to add fairy lights to your current pots with the conifers. I know they have fairy lights that are battery operated. That would bring energy to the space with minimal effort. Another way to add color is with a welcome mat and shopping for something that feels inspiring to you. Or even, a small, colorful garden flag added to one of your current pots.

Oh..and yes to the coins! :)

Expand full comment
Bev's avatar

Thank you is red colour pots okay with white front door? X

Expand full comment
Dorena Kohrs's avatar

Yes! That sounds lovely.

Expand full comment
Sue's avatar

Thank you for the reminder. I definitely need to clean the windows.

Expand full comment
Dorena Kohrs's avatar

Yay! Cleaning the windows, especially as you think about having clearer vision, is super impactful 💖

Expand full comment
A Space of Ones Own's avatar

I'm constantly battling the clutter (tools, equipment, materials, recycling) my husband leaves on our front porch! I try to clear it daily but sometimes it's too big for me to deal with. Ugh. I did clean the glass & pick up what I could yesterday. I'll tend to a bit more seasonal decorating today. I try! Also going to be adding the coins under our doormat.

Expand full comment
Dorena Kohrs's avatar

Cleaning the glass is awesome! Keep in mind that those small changes do make a big difference.

Is there an alternate place you could create for your husband to leave the tools, etc? Maybe a box for them to land in?

Expand full comment
Krista Steele's avatar

SO cool! Definitely going to try some of these! I remember trying to feng shui my bedroom when I was ten years old 😂

Expand full comment
Dorena Kohrs's avatar

That's where my journey started with feng shui! When I was a little girl, my room was my hideout and safe space. I'd constantly move my furniture around. Didn't call it feng shui back then, but that's exactly what I was doing. Making my space feel good. :)

Expand full comment
Gabriele's avatar

Love your new format + newsletter! We just moved into a new home under a different night sky and in a new country with the opportunity to truly think and decide, what does move with me/us, where goes what, why and how. All feels in flow now and all has found its new proper place and placement. Looking forward to always learn more and to become even more aware of the energy dynamics all around! Much Love to you ❤

Expand full comment
Dorena Kohrs's avatar

That's so exciting! So glad to have you inside of House Talk! xoxo

Expand full comment
Tim Ebl 🇨🇦's avatar

I've always wondered why in some many houses, they never use their front door? It used to confuse the heck out of me when I was growing up!

My wife changes our main entrance decorations for each season, and has plants beside it in summer. But it needs a good cleaning and painting, I'll have to get after that!

Expand full comment
Dorena Kohrs's avatar

You intuitively knew as a kid how important front doors are 🥰

Love how your wife updates the energy of your front door with the seasons!

Expand full comment
Bárbara C. Brose's avatar

@inspiritcreations thank you Doreena

Expand full comment
Dorena Kohrs's avatar

You’re so welcome!

Expand full comment
Bárbara C. Brose's avatar

I just moved to a house a couple months ago this is very timely. I am going to keep the door more open and put some coins under the mat I have a wreath to the left side does that count?

Expand full comment
Dorena Kohrs's avatar

A wreath to the left side totally counts 🥰

Expand full comment
Sherry Trentini's avatar

I did a front door clear and clean yesterday! And have had some lingering thoughts about how the doorbell camera can be adding and not deflecting energy.

Expand full comment
Sherry Trentini's avatar

Same!!!

Expand full comment
Dorena Kohrs's avatar

That’s such an interesting thought. I’d not considered ring doorbells and how they fit into the energetic equation.

Expand full comment
Sherry Trentini's avatar

Nor did I until yesterday!!

Expand full comment
Dorena Kohrs's avatar

They’re so common these days and I can see how theyd totally impact the homes energy.

Expand full comment
Sherry Trentini's avatar

Thanks to input from another, I’m now referring to my video doorbell as my ‘doorman’! Who is welcoming good energy while mindfully monitoring the security of my home!

Expand full comment
Dorena Kohrs's avatar

LOVE LOVE LOVE

Expand full comment
Lisa Bolin 🌸's avatar

What if you live in an apartment? I have little control over the front door of my building...

Expand full comment
Dorena Kohrs's avatar

Totally get that! You can still be super intentional about your front door by making sure there’s nothing blocking the door when you enter, sweeping away any real (or energetic) dust or cobwebs, ensuring there are no burned out lightbulbs or a broken doorbell that needs management’s attention.

Are you able to put out a welcome mat? Its such a great way to express your personality and add a pop of color.

Expand full comment
Lisa Bolin 🌸's avatar

I do have a welcome mat but it’s practical more than colourful. I live in Finland and in winter we need a place to get rid of the sand & gravel… I think I’ll be in the look out for a nicer one though!

Expand full comment
Dorena Kohrs's avatar

So full confession...I love to shop for the exact right thing...I had to check if there was such a thing that combined the pretty and the practical and stumbled upon this one. Something to check out for inspiration...

https://mymatterly.com/collections/the-matterly-doormat-collection/products/colorful-tulips-multi

Expand full comment
Dorena Kohrs's avatar

If you can find one that combines the practical and the pretty that would be awesome!

Expand full comment
Traci L Bray's avatar

Great tips with extra-incentive of identifying intentions. What a super offering Dorena! Thank you!

Expand full comment
Dorena Kohrs's avatar

You’re so welcome! 😘

Expand full comment
Craig Geevarghese-Uffman's avatar

Love this encouragement to see my front door as a locus of mindfulness and a tool with which I begin my practice of hospitality. Thanks!

Expand full comment
Dorena Kohrs's avatar

Ooohhh I love “a locus of mindfulness”!

Expand full comment
annigh@icloud.com's avatar

Hiya, I am going clean the front door this weekend and put some fairy lights up around the pillar to jazz it up. It’s a boring brown plastic door so stuck with colour but is it ok to put plastic flowers in a pot? We don’t have the weather for live plants over the colder months?

Expand full comment
Dorena Kohrs's avatar

Love the fairy lights! Typically we favor real or silk plants over plastic in feng shui. But it’s also important to do what is practical and it sounds like live plants won’t work for you.

If you love the plastic flowers and they make you smile when you see them, then it’s good feng shui 🥰

Expand full comment